Restaurants: Texture is trending on menus as consumers seek multi-sensory eating experiences
- InsightTrendsWorld
- 3 days ago
- 8 min read
Why it is the topic trending:
Consumer Demand for Multi-Sensory Experiences: Consumers are increasingly looking for more than just flavor in their food; they are seeking multi-sensory experiences that engage taste, sight, smell, and now, significantly, texture.
Social Media Influence: The popularity of ASMR content on platforms like TikTok, featuring satisfying sounds of eating crunchy foods, has raised awareness and desire for textural elements in meals.
Menu Innovation Focus: Chefs and food developers are recognizing texture as a "secret weapon" to create craveable dishes and stand out in a competitive market.
Market Research Data: Surveys and menu analysis indicate a growing emphasis on and consumer appreciation for textural descriptors like "crunchy" and "crispy."
Overview:
The article discusses the growing trend of texture becoming a key element in menu innovation, alongside flavor. Consumers are increasingly seeking multi-sensory eating experiences, with crunchiness, creaminess, and chewiness becoming as important as taste. This trend is fueled by social media trends like ASMR, and food industry professionals are recognizing the power of texture to enhance the overall eating experience and drive craveability. Menu developers are now actively incorporating and highlighting textural components in their dishes.
Detailed Findings:
TikTok videos featuring the sounds of crunchy foods are highly popular, reflecting a broader interest in sensory experiences.
Flavor innovation is mature, leading the industry to explore texture as a new frontier for product differentiation.
Consumers are consciously and subconsciously drawn to textural elements in food, contributing significantly to craveability.
While taste, appearance, and aroma rank higher initially when consumers consider trying new foods, those with textural descriptors like "crunchy" and "crispy" often score higher in consumer testing.
"Crunchy/crispy" is identified as Americans’ most-loved texture, followed by creamy and juicy.
Major food chains like Taco Bell are actively incorporating and highlighting texture in their menu items, such as the Toasted Cheddar Street Chalupas with a crispy cheddar shell.
Inspiration for textural innovation is also coming from the retail snack food sector, with examples like Taco Bell's giant Cheez-It items and KFC's Cheetos-layered chicken sandwich.
Market research shows that the word "crispy" appears on 62% of U.S. restaurant menus.
Ingredient innovation companies are developing technologies like CrispKeeper to maintain desired textures, such as the crispiness of fried chicken in sauced sandwiches.
Chip flavors and the inherent crunch of chips are being incorporated into various menu items, like Sonic’s BBQ Chip Seasoned Tots and Hardee’s BBQ Chip Glazed Chicken Sandwich.
Fast-casual restaurants like Cava and Sweetgreen also emphasize texture through crispy pita chips, crispy rice, and other crunchy additions to their bowls.
Beyond crunch, other textures like the creaminess of cold foams and the chewiness of boba are also gaining popularity in beverages.
Key Takeaway:
Texture is emerging as a critical component of the overall eating experience, moving beyond just flavor. Food brands and menu developers who strategically incorporate and highlight a variety of textures can create more craveable and satisfying offerings that resonate with evolving consumer preferences.
Main Trend:
The Sensory Revolution in Food: Prioritizing Texture
Description of the trend (please name it):
Textural Gastronomy: This trend marks a significant shift in culinary focus, where the textural components of food and beverages are elevated to a level of importance equal to, and sometimes surpassing, flavor. It involves the deliberate and innovative use of various textures (crunchy, creamy, chewy, crispy, fizzy, etc.) to create multi-sensory eating experiences that enhance enjoyment and drive consumer appeal.
What is consumer motivation:
Enhanced Eating Pleasure: Texture adds another dimension to the eating experience, making it more interesting and enjoyable.
Seeking Novelty and Excitement: Consumers are looking for new and exciting sensory experiences beyond traditional flavor profiles.
Satisfying Sensory Needs: The appeal of textures like crunchiness can be linked to sensory satisfaction, as highlighted by the popularity of ASMR.
Desire for More Engaging Food: Texture can make food feel more substantial and satisfying, engaging more senses during consumption.
What is driving trend:
Social Media Influence (ASMR): The popularity of ASMR content focusing on food sounds has heightened awareness and appreciation for texture.
Maturation of Flavor Innovation: With flavor combinations extensively explored, texture offers a new avenue for innovation and differentiation.
Consumer Craveability: Food developers are recognizing that specific textures contribute significantly to the overall craveability of a dish.
Cross-Category Inspiration: The success of crunchy snacks in the retail sector is inspiring similar textural innovations in restaurant menus.
What is motivation beyond the trend:
Holistic Food Experience: Consumers are increasingly viewing eating as a holistic experience that involves multiple senses.
Emotional Connection with Food: Certain textures can evoke specific emotions or memories, contributing to overall satisfaction.
Perceived Freshness and Quality: Texture can sometimes be associated with the perceived freshness or quality of ingredients (e.g., crisp vegetables).
Description of consumers article is referring to:
The article refers to a broad range of consumers, with a particular emphasis on:
Age: Younger consumers active on social media platforms like TikTok are highlighted due to the ASMR trend. However, the broader appeal of texture likely spans across age groups.
Gender: Not specifically differentiated by gender; the appreciation for multi-sensory food experiences is likely universal.
Income: Not explicitly defined, but the examples provided (Taco Bell, Sweetgreen, Hardee's) suggest a focus on consumers who frequent a range of restaurant types, from fast food to fast casual.
Lifestyle: Likely includes consumers who are interested in food trends, active on social media, and seeking more engaging and satisfying dining experiences, whether eating out or ordering in.
Conclusions:
Texture has emerged as a crucial element in creating desirable food experiences, and its importance on menus is expected to continue to grow. Food businesses that strategically incorporate and emphasize various textures in their offerings will be better positioned to meet evolving consumer preferences and stand out in the marketplace.
Implications for Brands (Restaurants, Food Manufacturers):
New Avenue for Product Differentiation: Texture provides a fresh opportunity to differentiate products and menu items beyond flavor alone.
Potential for Increased Craveability: Incorporating appealing textures can significantly enhance the craveability and memorability of food.
Importance of Sensory Marketing: Highlighting textural attributes in marketing materials (e.g., "crispy," "creamy") can effectively attract consumers.
Need for Ingredient and Technology Innovation: Achieving and maintaining desired textures, especially in delivery scenarios, may require innovation in ingredients and food technology.
Implication for Society:
Greater Appreciation for the Sensory Aspects of Food: This trend might lead to a broader societal appreciation for the multi-sensory nature of food and eating.
Influence of Online Trends on Food Culture: The impact of social media trends like ASMR on menu innovation demonstrates the growing influence of online culture on food preferences.
Implications for Consumers:
More Exciting and Satisfying Food Options: Consumers can expect to see more diverse and texturally interesting options on menus and in grocery stores.
Increased Awareness of Sensory Experiences: This trend might make consumers more consciously aware of the textural aspects of the food they eat.
Implication for Future:
Continued Exploration of Texture in Culinary Arts: Chefs and food scientists will likely continue to experiment with and explore the potential of different textures in food.
Development of Texture-Focused Ingredients and Technologies: We may see the development of new ingredients and technologies specifically designed to enhance or maintain specific textures in food products.
Integration of Sensory Experiences in Food Marketing: Marketing strategies will likely increasingly emphasize the sensory experience of food, including texture.
Consumer Trend (name, detailed description):
Texture-Driven Cravings: This consumer trend describes the increasing desire and seeking out of foods and beverages that offer specific and satisfying textural experiences. Consumers are not just looking for flavors but are actively craving the crunch of a chip, the creaminess of a sauce, or the chewiness of a candy.
Consumer Sub Trend (name, detailed description):
ASMR-Inspired Food Choices: This sub-trend highlights the influence of Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) trends on consumer food preferences, where the satisfying sounds and sensations associated with certain textures (like crispness and crunch) drive food choices.
Big Social Trend (name, detailed description):
The Multi-Sensory Consumer: This broader social trend reflects a growing consumer expectation for products and experiences to engage multiple senses, not just one. This applies to various industries beyond food, including entertainment, retail, and technology.
Worldwide Social Trend (name, detailed description):
Global Appreciation for Culinary Diversity and Innovation: The trend of exploring texture aligns with a global appreciation for culinary diversity and innovation, where chefs and food developers worldwide are experimenting with new flavors, ingredients, and, increasingly, textures.
Social Drive (name, detailed description):
The Pursuit of Sensory Satisfaction: A fundamental social drive is the pursuit of sensory satisfaction and pleasure. In the context of food, this goes beyond taste to encompass the enjoyable sensations of texture.
Learnings for brands to use in 2025 (bullets, detailed description):
Experiment with Diverse Textures: Don't limit innovation to flavor; explore a wide range of textures like crunchy, creamy, chewy, crispy, smooth, etc.
Highlight Texture in Menu Descriptions and Marketing: Use descriptive language that emphasizes the textural aspects of your food and beverages.
Consider Delivery Challenges for Texture: If offering delivery, invest in solutions and packaging that help maintain the desired texture of your products (e.g., crispiness).
Pay Attention to Social Media Trends: Monitor platforms like TikTok and Instagram for emerging textural preferences and ASMR-related food content.
Incorporate Texture as a Key Element in Product Development: Ensure that texture is considered early in the product development process, not just an afterthought.
Strategy Recommendations for brands to follow in 2025 (bullets, detail description):
Introduce Menu Items Specifically Highlighting Texture: Develop dishes or beverages where a particular texture is the star, such as an extra-crispy coating or a uniquely creamy filling.
Offer Textural Customization: Allow customers to add textural elements to their orders, such as crispy toppings or chewy mix-ins.
Run Marketing Campaigns Focused on Sensory Experiences: Create campaigns that emphasize the satisfying textures of your food through visuals and sound (where appropriate).
Collaborate with Food Influencers Known for Sensory Content: Partner with influencers who focus on ASMR or multi-sensory food experiences to promote your textured offerings.
Invest in Research and Development for Texture Innovation: Dedicate resources to exploring new ingredients and techniques that can create exciting and appealing textures.
Final sentence (key concept) describing main trend from article (which is a summary of all trends specified):
Driven by social media and a consumer desire for more engaging eating experiences, texture has become a crucial element in menu innovation, with crunch, creaminess, and other tactile sensations now standing alongside flavor as key drivers of craveability.
What brands & companies should do in 2025 to benefit from trend and how to do it:
In 2025, brands and companies in the food industry should actively embrace the trend of prioritizing texture in their offerings. To benefit from this, they should:
Conduct research and development to explore and create innovative textures in their products.
Integrate textural elements strategically into new and existing menu items or product lines.
Effectively communicate the textural benefits to consumers through clear and appealing marketing language and visuals.
Consider the textural experience in all aspects of the product lifecycle, from development to packaging and delivery.
Final Note:
Core Trend:
Name: The Textural Takeover
Detailed Description: Texture is no longer a secondary consideration in food; it has risen to become a primary driver of consumer satisfaction and a key area of focus for culinary innovation.
Core Strategy:
Name: Embrace Multi-Sensory Food Design
Detailed Description: Brands should adopt a holistic approach to food design, consciously considering and optimizing not just flavor but also texture, aroma, appearance, and even sound to create truly engaging and craveable products.
Core Industry Trend:
Name: Sensory Innovation as Competitive Advantage
Detailed Description: In an increasingly saturated food market, sensory innovation, with a strong emphasis on texture, is emerging as a significant way for brands to gain a competitive edge and capture consumer attention.
Core Consumer Motivation:
Name: Seeking Tactile Satisfaction in Food
Detailed Description: Consumers are motivated by the desire for tactile satisfaction in their food, finding pleasure and enjoyment in the various textures and mouthfeels that different foods offer.
Core Trend Detailed (name, detailed summary):
The Textural Takeover: This core trend signifies a fundamental shift in the culinary landscape where texture has moved from a supporting role to a leading one. Consumers, influenced by social media and a desire for more stimulating eating experiences, are actively seeking out and appreciating the diverse textures present in food and beverages. This goes beyond mere mouthfeel and encompasses the satisfying crunch, smooth creaminess, pleasant chewiness, and delightful crispness that contribute significantly to overall enjoyment and drive cravings. Food developers, chefs, and manufacturers are responding by strategically incorporating and highlighting these textural elements in their creations, recognizing that texture is now as crucial as flavor in capturing consumer attention and ensuring satisfaction in the multi-sensory world of food consumption.
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